Electric switch



March 24, 1931. I. R. LATTA ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Feb. 21. 1929 Fig.5.

Fig. 2.

Inventor: Isaac RLQtt by MW His Attov'neg.

Patented Mar. 2 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ISAAC B. LATTA, OF DBEXEL HILL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed February 21, 1929. Serial No. 341,771.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches and more particularly to improvements in electric switches known to the art as auxiliary or pallet switches and often associated with other devices so as to be actuated thereby to control circuits responsively to the position of some moving part or parts of the devices. For example, in the control and operation of circuit breakers for the opening and closing thereof and also the control of associated electroresponsive devices there are often associated with and operated by the circuit breakers, auxiliary switches certain of which are arranged to be closed when the circuit breakers are open and viceversa and others of which are arranged to be closed when the circuit breakers are closed and open when the circuit breakers are open. In order that control circuits may be energized or deenergized at the proper instants, the

positions of these auxiliary switches relatively to certain moving parts, for example the contacts of the circuit breakers are important. In View of the many types of circuit breakers and the different operating mechanisms therefor, the relative positions of the auxiliary switch and a moving part or parts of the circuit breaker cover a wide range. Even with a given circuit breaker and its associated operating mechanism, it is often desirable to have the auxiliary switch operate at different definite instants corresponding to various positions of the circuit breaker parts. Consequently, to cover the diverse conditions and yet avoid many different details or designs of auxiliary switches, it is desirable from the standpoint of economy and simplicity of o eration to have a sin le switch which is a apted to meet the di erent conditions. An object of my invention is to provide an improved electric switch which is economical and simple to regulate and operate and which can be associated with various devices having different characteristics so as to obtain different relative operations between the device and the switch. Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following.

My invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view on the line 11 of Fig. 2 of an electric switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line 22 of Fig. 1 with the circuit controlling mechanism in one position; Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2 with the circuit controlling mechanism in another position; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate in perspective component parts of a switch mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 7 illustrates in perspective the assembly of the parts shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6; and Fig. 8 is a bottomview of a pole unit.

In the illustrated auxiliary switch showing an embodiment of my invention, a movable member such as an operating shaft 8 is provided with a toothed element 9 movable therewith. Cooperating with the toothed element 9 is a concentric toothed element 10 which is arranged, in accordance with my invention, to be mounted on the toothed element 9 in a plurality of positions so that a movable contact 11 carried by one of the toothed elements 10 can be mounted in varying angular positions relatively to the shaft 8.

The shaft 8 is mounted in a bearing 12 in the base or supporting member 13 of the switch and also in a bearing 14 and is provided with means such as a crank or lever arm 15 to which an operating connection may be made from the moving part or parts of any device such as a circuit breaker whose motion is to be reflected in the auxiliary switch. Secured to the base by suitable means such as bolts 16 is the contact assembly which, as illus trated, is for two poles although any number may be employed by using suitable proportions for certain of the parts such as the shaft 8 and the bolts 16. Each pole unit, as shown most clearly in Fig. 8, includes a supporting member or frame 17 of insulating material and has at two diagonally opposite corners enlarged tubular projections 18 through which the bolts 16 pass and which serve to provide the necessary spacing of the pole units. On the supporting frame 17 and on opposite sides of the shaft 8 are mounted independently of the shaft two contact members 19 which may be biased for a limited move ment toward the shaft 8 by any suitable means such as a spring 30. Movement of the contacts 19 toward the shaft 8 is limited by stops 20 and movement away from the. shaft may be limited by stops 21. The contacts 19 are mo nted QnP YO -s 22 in supp r ng me n 23 secured tot-he frame '17 and provided with terminals 24. i

So as to complete a conductive connection between the contacts 19, I mount on the shaft 8 the two cooperating members ,9 and 10-and the contact 11 which is between them. While the toothed element 9 may form a portion of the shaft 8 it can be made separately as shown in Fig. 4- and is preferably of insulating ma terial' asis also the toothed element 10. Both the toothed elements 9 and 10 maybe of cylindrical form, the element 9 fitting-within the element 1.0 as shown in Fig. 7. "The contact 11 is of suitablevelectric current conducting mate-rial and may be made generally ringshaped and continuous as shown, although this is not necessary. The intermediate portion of the contact 11 may be cylindrical and of such a size as to embrace the untoothed or smooth portion of the element 9 and fit within the toothed portion of the element 10. The contact member is thus mounted quite firmly between these members. i

In orderto prevent rotation of the contact element relatively to the shaft, the toothed element 9 may be secured to the shaft by any suitableineans. For simplicity the shaft may be made square and the toothed element 9 provided with a corresponding central opening. The toothed element 10 is provided with two diametrically positioned openings through which the contact making ends of the contact 11 project, as'shown in 9, thus restraining the contact against movement relatively to the shafts. The movable Contact assembly as shown in Fig. 7 is then mounted onthe shaft between the central or barrier portions of the pole unit frames 17,, as shown in Fig. 1. lVhen the desirednumber ofpole units has been assembled, the final barrier plate 25 and a plate 26 carrying the bearing 14 are secured in place through the bolts 16. As shown, the bearing it includes a. threaced portion 27, arranged to be engaged by a nut 28 mounted loosely in a cover or housing 29 which engages the base 13 to maintain the whole structure substantially dust-tight.

lVith this arrangement it will be apparent that the angular position of the contact 11 can be varied by very small amounts depending upon the pitch of the teeth on the cooperating contact supporting elements 9 and 10, Toset the contact 11 for any given angua end tion o a t br g he op a o o he nta ts o corr sp nd t t e m v men f he-d v ce whi h oper es h w h, the

contact assembly of the elements 9, 10 and 11 is removed from the shaft 8. The toothed portion of the element 9 is withdrawn from the toothed element 10 just suliic-iently to disengage the teeth but not to withdraw the contact 11 from the openings in the element 10, and turned relatively thereto an angular amount corresponding to the desired position of the contact llrelatively to the shaft 8. {In so'settingthe-position of the-toothed element"9*relatively'to the toothed element- 1.0, the square hole in the toothed element 9 cures as indication of the shaft position. The contact assembly may then be placed back on the shaft and the other parts positioned, shown'in lt willalso be a ithat'w" h switches e1 tion o coor t. levice which operates the auxiliary switch. e, spaces 31 between the pole unit frames (enacting conductors to the term nals 24;. These con uctors may be led through suit.- able nings 32 in the base 13. 1

lVhile l have shown anddescribed my in vcntion in considerable detail, I do, not desire to be limited to the exact arrangement shown, but seek to cover in the appended claims all those modifications that fall Within the truespiritand scope of my invention;

VVhatl claimasnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United .Statesyis:

1. An electric switch including a ring.- shaped contact and means for actuating the contact includlng a movable member having toothed element movable therewith, said with, and means for varying the angular re lation between the contact? and the shaft including a cooperating concentric toothed mem ber of insulating material carrying the con; tact and arranged to be mounted on said element in a plurality of positions.

3. An electric switch including-anoperat.- ing shaft, contacts mounted independently of said shaft on opposite sides thereof and means for completing a conductive connection-be.- tween said contacts arranged to bemounted in varying angular positions 1 relatively to said shaft including relatively movable coopcr ting teothed m m ers ne of .whi h engage a ft sons t t rn therewith-and gdyingmy asdhavi'ng a plurahty'ofpoles, movable contactof each pole can be djusted independently ofthe others so as e n. th themoving parts of the the cover-Q9 provide room for the.

a conducting element arranged to be supported between said members for rotation therewith.

4. An electric switch including a contact, a shaft, and means for mounting said contact on the shaft in difierent angular positions including two concentric members having cooperating toothed engaging portions, the inner of said members being mounted on said shaft so as to rotate therewith and the 1gontact being supported between said memers.

5. An electric switch including a shaft, two concentric members having toothed engaging portions the inner of said members being mounted on said shaft so as to rotate therewith, and a contact embracing one of said members and projecting through openings in the other.

6. An electric switch including a contact, a shaft, and means for varying the angular relation between the contact and the shaft including two cooperating concentric toothed members, the inner of said members being mounted on said shaft'so as to rotate therewith and the contact being supported between said members.

7 An electric switch including a movable member having a toothed elementmovable therewith, a cooperating concentric toothed element arranged to be mounted on the toothed element associated with said movable member in a plurality of positions and a contact supported between said elements and movable therewith.

8. An electric switch including an operating shaft, contacts mounted independently of said shaft on opposite sides thereof, means for completing a conductive connection between said contacts arranged to be mounted in varying angular positions relatively to the shaft including two concentric cylindrical members of insulating material having cooperating toothed engaging portions, one of said members being mounted on said shaft so as to rotate therewith and a conducting element embracing one of said members and projecting through openings in the other member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of February, 1929.

ISAAC R. LATTA. 

